JB Pritzker readies for general election campaign with similar themes

Chris Kaergard of the Journal Star

Wednesday

Mar 21, 2018 at 7:37 PM

PEORIA — The message JB Pritzker used to win a 19-point victory in his primary campaign will be the same one he focuses on in the general election, the Democratic nominee for governor said Wednesday afternoon.

In a phone interview, the Chicagoan ticked off a series of initiatives he planned to push, including a progressive income tax, lowering health care costs, ensuring quality higher education and improving job and wage conditions in the Land of Lincoln.

And he pointed to a series of plans and white papers he released throughout the primary election for how he'd achieve each of the goals.

The competitive, six-way primary also helped him set the stage for the general election by focusing on each part of Illinois. Pritzker's operation opened field offices throughout the state — a practice that has differed from how Democrats have run their past gubernatorial races.

"Running a grass-roots campaign and building infrastructure during (it) was designed not just to win a primary campaign, but to win a general election," he said.

Pritzker's campaign later in the day cited a figure of 245 trips downstate during a campaign that stretches back to last summer.

Asked about likely attacks by Gov. Bruce Rauner — who began lobbing them even before the primary was over — that Pritzker is too tight with party leaders, including powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, Pritzker called such claims "a false and tired, old argument now from Bruce Rauner, who wants to blame everybody else for the problems he's brought to the state of Illinois."

Instead, Pritzker said, he was an "independent Democrat who's willing to work with whoever is in leadership — Republican or Democrat" — to benefit the state.

Chris Kaergard can be reached at ckaergard@pjstar.com or 686-3255. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisKaergard.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.